NJ towns must accept character change for new affordable housing, poll says

🔴 A new poll shows 75% of New Jersey voters say there aren’t enough homes to rent or buy.

🔴 In extreme cases, towns are seizing property to make room for new housing

🔴 A majority support prioritizing new housing over preserving towns’ character.

A new poll finds you're in the minority if you believe that New Jersey towns and cities should prioritize preservation and local control over building new homes and apartments.

Rapid development is one of the most contentious issues in the Garden State.

New Jersey towns and cities are required to build up to 1,000 units of affordable housing to meet their Mount Laurel Decision obligations.

In some cases, towns are seizing large swathes of land through eminent domain. Officials in Cranbury faced fury after they tried to take a 150-year-old family farm for new apartments.

While public outcry against extreme measures has been loud, a new survey finds that most residents believe something needs to change.

Housing costs now the top issue for NJ voters

An overwhelming majority, 75%, says there are not enough homes to rent or buy, according to a recent YouGov poll.

The survey of 1,083 New Jersey voters found 43% believe that the cost and availability of housing is the most important issue facing the state, ahead of even taxes.

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Among respondents between the ages of 18 and 49, this belief was even stronger at 52%.

Growing support for state action over local control

Helen Kioukis, policy manager at New Jersey Future, says there's also growing support for the state legislature to supersede local control.

Local control, or home rule, gives each New Jersey town and city the power to have its own police department, fire department, school system, and building laws.

The system helps to give each community its character. But some see it as an obstacle.

"With each municipality being responsible for zoning and land use decisions, we have 564 different policies across the state. And we know from this poll that residents want to see the state legislature take action," Kioukis said.

Voters favor state-led housing laws and redevelopment

The YouGov poll found that 87% of voters want elected officials in Trenton to pass new housing laws.

But more surprising is that 62% of polled New Jersey voters say the state legislature should prioritize new homes over preserving towns' character.

And 60% of respondents say the state legislature should pass new laws to increase building and supersede local control.

Other popular housing reforms include allowing the redevelopment of vacant commercial buildings into homes and making it easier to build accessory dwelling units on residential lots that already have homes.

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